COMEDIAN Eddie Murphy has revealed that he and former Spice Girl Melanie Brown have split up.  The US star, who is said to have started dating the Leeds-born singer earlier this year, has also thrown doubt on reports that she is pregnant with his child.

He dropped the bombshell during an interview for Dutch magazine programme RTL Boulevard to promote his new film, Dreamgirls.

Murphy, 45, was asked by an interviewer on the show: "So are you happy with her? Because she is pregnant from your child."

He replied: "But you're being presumptuous, because we're not together any more and we don't know whose child that is until it comes out and has a blood test.

"You shouldn't jump to conclusions, sir."

The couple are said to have started seeing each other in June, just two months after the Dr Dolittle star divorced wife Nicole after 12 years.

Mel B, aka Scary Spice, relocated to Los Angeles and released a solo album, LA State Of Mind, last year.

Yesterday, she was pictured smiling and chatting on the phone at Heathrow Airport as she prepared to board a flight to the US.

Brown, 31, has a daughter with ex-husband Jimmy Gulzar. She also dated actor Max Beesley.